A MODERN FAIRY TALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 81

A MODERN FAIRY TALE.

By

Betty Knell.

(Copyright.—For the Otago Witness.) Once upon a time there lived a princess. She was not like other princesses, insomuch that she lived, not in a palace, but in a pigsty. It was really most awkward for her, but if godmothers happen to be in a bad temper when princesses are christened, what can one do? And if godmothers are . too lazy to remember the spell to restore princesses to palaces, again what can one do? This princess couldn’t, anyway,, so perforce in the pigsty she remained. But on fine mornings she walked in the royal gardens, sunning her golden hair. And when this happened the Knight of the Armoury, who patrolled the battlement walls (especially on line mornings), looked down, and lost his heart like -anything. However, until the spell was lifted it was no good saying so, for the pigsty was only big enough for one, and anyway the knight had a leaning towards palaces. So the knight just looked and tried t’o think of a plan, and the princess went on walking-

One morning there was a scutter at the. outer gate, and the newspaper hoy arrived. He carried a special edition (edged with black) for the king, and was granted immediate entrance "to the Presence. In the throne room where the king had just breakfasted, all the courtiers and the ladies-in-waiting -were gathered to - discuss the business of the day. The second business that was. Breakfast was the first. When the newspaper boy entered (walking backwards owing to a little misunderstanding with a page outside) there was a rustle of excitement, for special editions were very rare. The king immediately demanded the paper, and presently read: — £ Your. Majesty,—Thys ys by nature of Warning to Ye Royal Presence. Ye Dragonne, a Fearsome Creature, is loose in Ye Countrie. Thys Dragonne ys a most vain Creature, and the Higher it kills, the more Vain ys it. It ys by the same Token most Partial to Kings. Selah. YE PRINTER.” The king finished reading this edition, and eyed his Court uneasily. “ The higher it kill . . ~” he murmured to himself. “ I wonder. . .” Then he said aloud briskly; “ How many of you people have royal blood in you? Hands up, please.” . But no hands went up at all, for the Knight of the Armoury (a prince on his father’s side) was on the battlements, and the princess waj in the pigsty. The king sighed heavily. “ You can go,” he said to the messenger. “ Not a nice lookout—decidedly not,” he added abstractedly. The newspaper boy donned his red cap and went politely out backwards, which gave the page outside the chance he wanted. The scuffle which followed was interrupted by a- sudden roar, and there, head-high over the battlements, was Ye Fearsome Creature,_J.be most vain dragonne. The page retired very hurriedly, but the newspaper boy stood still and stared. A dragonne was a new one on him. This dragonne reared itself a yard or two higher. “ Any kings about ? ” it roared. The newspaper boy jerked his thumb in the general direction of the palace, and went on staring. Golly, what a beast!

. But the dragonne had fraught sight of the special edition under the lad’s arm. “What’s that?” it inquired politely “ Speshul ’dishun,’ quoth the newspaper boy. The dragonne stretched out a scaly claw and took the pajjer. As it read, its eyes brightened and its tail quivered It was a very vain creature. “Is this ■ about me?” it demanded eagerly. “ Uh-huh,” said the newspaper boy, or words to that effect. i “Do you often write things like that —er—about me ? ” asked the dragonne more eagerly. The newspaper boy shook his head. “ On’y fer kings,” he saidi And at that the knight of the armoury, high -on the wall, had a most brilliant brain wave.'" He made a cup of his hands and shouted “Dragonne!”" The dragonne cocked an inquiring eye. (The other was on the newspaper.) “ I say,” continued the knight. “If you eat the king, there won’t be any more special editions—ho royalty, no demand, you know. But if you’ll go and live, say, with the newspaper boy as—er—as a printer’s devil or whatnot, we ll arrange a special edition for you every week. Truly!” “Will you really?” said the dragonne. “On whose authority?’ he added suspiciously. “ The editor’s,” said the knight confidently. “ I’m related to him. On my mother’s side, you know. Often get writer’s itch myself,” he confided. “ Well, that’s all right,” _ said the dragonne. “ Then I’ll stick to sheep and suchlike for my diet, and come with you. Lead on, my lad.” So saying, he followed the dazed but proud newspaper boy down the garden and out into the town, and so out of my story.

As for the knight, it really was his day for brain waves. Judicially he collected the Treasury reward for Aiding the Presence ill. Time of Dqnger, and then went and pulled the princess out of the pigsty. Together they visited the princess’s godmother, and, having found her, the knight fingered a particularly unpleasant looking sword, and inquired politely after her memory.

Had it improved at all, for instance., in the little matter of Pigsty and Palace spells (under P) ? The princess’s godmother said, “ Oh, undoubtedly,” rather hurriedly. She knew a determined man when she saw one, and the knight got his determination from both sides of his family. Almost immediately the knight and the princess found themselves back inside the palace, and there they lived, as soon as the marriage ceremony was completed, happily ever after.